Billy Joe Saunders fails voluntary drug test and faces losing £1.76m mega-money fight vs Demetrius Andrade
Undefeated Hatfield fighter tested positive for fat-burning stimulant oxilofrine in a test with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency
BILLY JOE SAUNDERS has failed a drug test and the world middleweight champion could lose his mega-money fight next month.
The undefeated Hatfield fighter tested positive for fat-burning stimulant oxilofrine — found in a nasal spray — in a test with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency.
The 29-year-old is due to earn £1.76million for defending his belt against against American Demetrius Andrade in Boston on October 20 but that fight now hangs in the balance.
VADA are paid by the fighters and have no power to punish offenders but the Massachusetts commission will now decide on whether they host the bout.
Minutes after the news broke Saunders tweeted “some s***” bookended by two laughing emojis.
He later added: "thank you to my fans who stick by me I’m a clean athlete and gonna be around a long time thank you all stay blessed".
Under British Boxing Board of Control rules Saunders would not lose his licence as the substance is only banned in competition and would have to be shown in his system on the day of the fight.
The red flag came just days after the BBBofC fined Saunders £100,000 for a sick video in which he teased a vulnerable drug addict into attacking a man.
The board confirmed to SunSport that the size of the punishment was due to Saunders being a repeat offender and they are unlikely to be impressed with his latest charge.
Oxilofrine is the same stimulant sprinters Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell both tested positive for in 2013 and landed bans.
On Monday, Saunders posted a photo on Twitter that appeared to show a drug tester from UKAD visiting his gym for samples.
The caption read: “clean sport”
The Massachusetts State Athletic Commission are aware of the result and are awaiting more information.
Saunders' team statement in full
FOLLOWING reports of an adverse analytical finding in a test carried out by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (“VADA”) on WBO World Middleweight Champion, Billy Joe Saunders, we can confirm that the product concerned is permitted to be used ‘Out of Competition’ by United Kingdom Anti-Doping (“UKAD”) in line with the regulations of the World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”).
For the avoidance of doubt, the product in question was a common decongestant nasal spray.
The British Boxing Board of Control (“BBBofC”) under whose jurisdiction Billy Joe Saunders is licensed are affiliated only to UKAD/WADA.
Today the BBBofC have confirmed that Mr Saunders is not in breach of BBBofC or UKAD anti doping regulations and is therefore in good standing and is licensed to box and defend his World Title on October 20th.
Mr. Saunders has been tested a number of times in 2018, all negative, his last out of competition test by UKAD was on 24th September 2018.